*WARNING:* This is a marathon post. It didn't originally start out that way, but there was just too much to say and I didn't want to cut it into a bunch of little posts. Read when you have more than 2-3 minutes. :)
This past weekend we went down to Albuquerque for a last family vacation before my parents leave on a mission for freezing cold Russia next month. It was a very fun trip filled with many memories and lots of fun family time. We drove down on Wednesday, February 9 with Jeff and Becca and their kids. It was a lot less stressful of a drive than our last trip down over Thanksgiving (driving through a Blizzard was oh SO fun!), even though it took longer because we had a 4 year old and a 14 month old, both of who have much smaller stomachs and bladders (although one was contained in a diaper) than 2 adults. We took 2-3 more stops each direction (for food or bathroom breaks) than Michael and I did in November, but we still made decent time and had a good trip. Most of the drive included views like this (and we saw a few trains too):
With the occasional view of something like this:
We arrived down in Albuquerque about 7:30 (only an 11 hour drive!) and spent a little time with family and then headed over to the hotel with Mom and Dad.
Thursday morning we ate breakfast at the hotel and then headed over to Brad and Heather's house to discuss what we were going to do that day. Brad had worked the night shift, so he slept while everyone else went and hiked a short little trail and saw some petroglyphs. (Sorry, some of these events I don't have pictures of. We don't have kids yet, and therefore haven't gotten into the habit of taking our camera with us everywhere)
Friday morning, everyone came over to the hotel and went swimming in the indoor pool there. We spent 1 1/2 -2 hours there and then those with kids headed back to Brad and Heather's for naps and showers while those at the hotel just had some relaxation time until all the kids woke up. Then that afternoon we all went on the Sandia Peak Tram and experienced some snow in New Mexico (it doesn't stay on the ground for too long unless you're up high in the mountains!)
Albuquerque in the valley behind us
Saturday morning Michael and I and Mom and Dad went to the Rattlesnake Museum in Old Town and spent some time there. We had heard about it from Craig Ferguson (The Late Late Show host on CBS), and when we found out it was in ABQ, we decided that while Brad and Heather were living down there, we wanted to go sometime when we were down visiting. It was actually pretty cool. We saw quite a few different kinds of rattlesnakes (even an albino one that was constantly shaking his rattle), saw some turtles and other reptiles, and an insect I didn't even know existed, a whip scorpion (are scorpions even insects? I don't know what to classify it as). Then that afternoon, we all changed and got together for our last family picture before my parents leave. It was a little cold, and the kids weren't all cooperating, but we managed to get a few good pictures, thanks to our amazing photographer and her friend who came and helped us out.
The final product! We look good, don't we? Heather's pretty talented too. :)
Sunday started early for us. We had to wake up before O dark thirty (ok, it was really about 5:00) to make sure we were on the road in time to be home by 5:30 for Jeff and Becca to have Sunday dinner with her family. We left Albuquerque just after 6:00 and drove to Gallup where we stopped for breakfast and a change of clothes (we kept Emily and Jacob in their pajamas in the hopes that they would stay asleep in the car. It didn't work). We stopped for about 45 minutes and then continued the drive. Michael fell asleep for a little bit before breakfast, but stayed awake the rest of the drive. I fell asleep after Gallup, Michael woke me up to show me something after we drove through Shiprock, and then I fell asleep again until we stopped for gas in Dove Creek, CO. We played some car games both directions (I Spy, My Daddy Owns a Store, etc.) and had some snacks to keep us from starving and to keep the kids from yelling and screaming when they were hungry (which made the car ride much more enjoyable!) We stopped at Subway in Green River for lunch (the same place we stopped on the way down), and then started on our way again. We arrived "home" about 5:00, with just enough time for Jeff and Becca to unload the van, do a bathroom run and pile into the car again to head over to Newman's for Sunday Dinner.
Michael and I hung out at Mom and Dad's for a little bit, waiting for them to get home (they flew home and their flight landed just after we arrived at their house). We told them thanks again for the wonderful trip and then we went to Michael's uncle's house to pick up Finn (thanks again for watching her while we were gone!). After spending some time there visiting, we headed home and arrived there about 8:30. We were both exhausted from the long drive and Finn was exhausted from spending the weekend with her mom and brother (and Michael's 4 little cousins). We postponed the unpacking and just pulled out what was needed so that we could go to bed.
The next morning, Michael and I were both grateful that we had requested Monday off as well because, while it was a vacation, it was super busy and we didn't really get a weekend (our house needed some attention too). We spent the day unpacking, playing Mario Kart, cleaning the house, and Michael surprised me with some flowers for Valentine's Day. I was really surprised because we had gotten Mario Kart as an early, joint gift, so I was not expecting anything. Isn't my husband the greatest?!
My beautiful flowers
We both were dreading work the next day because we knew there was a pile of work waiting for both of us, but I think we're making it through everything (I can almost see my desk again!).
It was a very fun trip and we look forward to having more, both while Mom and Dad are gone and after they get back!
